Stave-bending machine



(No Model.)

F. & J. BRENNER.

STAVE BEVNDING MACHINE. No. 447,295. Pgtented Mar. 3, 1891.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FREDERICK BRENNER AND JOHN BRENNER, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO.

STAVE-BENDING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 447,295, dated March 3, 1891. Application filed April 24, 1890. Serial No. 349,273- (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, FREDERICK BRENNER and JOHN BRENNER, both citizens of the United States, residing at Cincinnati, in the.

county of Hamilton and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Stave-Bending Machines; and we do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

Thisinvention relates,generally,to machines used in the manufacture of cooperage stuff, and specifically it relates to machines employed for the purpose of bending longitudinally staves before they are assembled to form the respective vessels for which they are intended. WVithout going through this preparatory bending process the staves could not be put together as well, and bent to assume their proper concavo-convex shape without causing considerable loss by breakage. Before going through this bending process the staves are generally steamed in order to soften them.

The construction of our machine is described in the following specification, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of our machine. Fig. 2 is a top view of the same. Fig. 3 is a section on line 3 3 of Fig. 1, wheel 5 being omitted and Fig. 4 is a section on line 4 4 of Fig. 1. r

The machine consists, substantially, of a wheel 5, revolving within a stationary frame 6 and within a large circular opening therein, the periphery of which is parallel and concentric with the periphery of said Wheel. The face of wheel 5 is shaped as shown at 7, so as to accommodate the shape of the stave. At

8 it is deepened to admit the thicker or croze ends 9 of the latter. Wheel 5 revolves, as indicated by an arrow, and carries the staves into the space between its face and the inside of stationary frame 6, closely confining and bending them as they pass through between the two. To ease the friction between wheel over the face of wheel 5.

5 and frame 6, the inner surface of the latter, being opposite the face of wheel 5, is formed by a number of rollers 12, the sides 11 11' of frame 6 forming and containing their bearings. These rollers are arranged in a circular line parallel with the face of the wheel 5 and around the circular opening of frame 6.

Their faces are concave, while the face of' 5, and 15 and 16 are tight and loose pulleys,

respectively, by means of which shaft 1% is revolved.

Toothed gear connection may be substituted for pulleys .15 and 16, if desirable.

Frame 6 does not completely surround wheel 5,but ispartly open, in order to provide sufficient space for the introduction and discharge of the staves.

In order to ease the strain on the machine at the starting-point, where the staves are the stiffest, a number of the rollers may be revolved by means of achain 17, passing around a sprocket-wheel 18 on shaft 14, and a number of smaller sprocket-wheels 19, journaled at the ends of rollers 12. By this arrangement the straight stave is easily carried in, after which it takes care of itself. 20 is an ejecting device consisting of a spring secured to frame 6 and bent so as to reachin It readily yields to any part of wheel 5 which may strike it, but whenever-it comes in contact with a stave it pushes the same oif and ejects it sidewise into a convenient chute 21.

To prevent injury to the machine in cases Where the thickness of the staves is irregular,

.it may be preferable to give the face of wheel 5 some degree of elasticity, and whereby a stave of increasing thickness is readily admitted. A convenient way of doing this is found in the attachment of rubber plates 22, which cover the face of the wheel 5.

As the staves straighten somewhat again after leaving the machine, they are best bent a little more than necessary, which is done by arranging the diameter of the wheel accordingly.

A number of these machines may be conveniently arranged on the same shaft, longer staves of course requiring larger wheels.

\Ve know it is not new to pass wood be tween sets of rollers for the purpose of bending it, and therefore do not claim this way of bending wood, broadly. \Ve do claim, however, aspecially-constructed machineintended and adapted for special work-stave-bending in this casefor which purpose such plain roller-machiljies could not be used, owing to the peculiar shape of the staves.

\Ve claim- 1. A stave-bending machine consisting of a wheel the face of which is adapted to receive staves by cutting its face down at the proper places to admit their croze end, in combination with a stationary frame sur rounding to the extent of its length this wheel and being circular at its inner surface, which surface is opposite and parallel or concentric with the face of said wheel and formed by a number of small rollers journaled in it, the stave being carried in by the revolving wheel and passed through the space between its face and the faces of the small rollers opposite it, all as fully shown and described.

A stave-bending machine consisting of a wheel the face of which is adapted to receive staves by cutting its face down at the proper places to admit their crozc end, in combination with a stationary frame surrounding to the extent of its length this wheel and being circular at its inner surface, which sur face is opposite and parallel or concentric with the face of said wheel and formed by a n umber of small rollers journaled in it, a part of them near the feed end revolving with the machine to facilitate the introduction of the staves, which are carried in by the revolving wheel and passed through the space between it and the small rollers, all as fully shown and described.

3. A stave-bending machine consisting of a wheel the face of which is adapted to re ceive stavcs and yielding to accommodate irregularities in their thickness, in combination with a stationary frame surrounding to the extent of its length this wheel, its inner surface being opposite, parallel, and concentric with the face of the wheel, the stave being carried in by the revolving wheel and passed through the space between it and the said frame, all as fully shown and described.

i. A stave-bending machine consisting of a wheel the face of which is adapted to receive staves and yielding to accommodate irregularities in their thickness, in combination with a stationary frame surrounding to the extent of its length this wheel, its inner surface being opposite, parallel, and concentric with the face of the wheel and formed by a number of small rollers journaled in it, the

stave being carried in-by the revolving wheel and passed through the space between it and the said rollers, all as fully shown and described.

5. A stave-bending machine consisting of a wheel the face of which is adapted to receive staves and yielding to accommodate irregularities in their thickness, in combination with a stationary frame surrounding to the extent of its length this wheel, its inner surface being opposite, parallel, and concentric with the face of the wheel and formed by a number of small rollers journaled in it, a part of them near the feed end revolving with the machine to facilitate the introduction of the staves, which are carried in by the revolving wheel and passed through the space between it and the rollers, all as fully shown and described.

(5. A stave-bending machine consisting of a wheel the face of which is adapted to reccive staves and yielding to accommodate irregularities in their thickness, in combination with a stationary frame surrounding to the extent of its length this Wheel, its inner surface being opposite, parallel, and concentric with the face of the wheel and formed by a number of small rollers journaled in it, a part of them near the feed end revolving with the machine to facilitate the introduction of the stavcs, which are carried in by the revolving wheel and passed through the space between it and the said rollers, and a suitable ejecting device, all as fully shown and described.

In testimony whereof we affix our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

FREDERICK BRENNER. JOHN BRENNER. \Vitnesses:

CARL SPENGEL, RANKIN D. JONES. 

